Are you looking to build a custom website rather than utilizing a standard theme from a platform such as WordPress? The most common way of achieving this goal is to combine the efforts of a designer and a developer into a workflow that (greatly simplified) looks like this:
- The designer uses a program such as Photoshop, Sketch, Bootstrap etc. in order to create a visual representation of what the website will eventually look like.
- The developer uses HTML and CSS to create a functional website based upon the designer’s mockup.
This tried and true process offers a number of benefits – after all, in theory, it harnesses the core talents of two creative individuals, who work together to create something beautiful, practical, and representative of your brand.
Nonetheless, there are few aspects of this workflow that have inspired business owners to look for alternatives to the standard photoshop document (PSD) to HTML process – for example, cost and turnaround time. This is why it should come as no surprise that numerous pieces of software now promise to “automatically convert PSD designs to HTML.”
ReliablePSD has been converting web mockups to HTML and CSS for years – and we certainly do see the appeal of completing hours worth of coding work automatically utilizing a piece of cutting-edge software! However, we’ve also been in the business long enough to know that no one size fits all solution can ever tackle the complexity and diversity of all the incredible web designs out there.
All that said, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of utilizing PSD to HTML software:
The Pros of PSD to HTML Software
Here are a few of the most important reasons why some businesses opt for automated solutions for PSD to HTML conversion:
Cost-Efficiency
Paying two different web development professionals requires a budget commitment that not everyone is eager to make. Though no effective PSD to HTML software solutions are available for free as of yet, the cost of paying for PSD to HTML software is still less than hiring a web developer – and that opportunity for savings is something that most business owners take seriously.
Quick Turnaround
Because PSD to HTML relies on the two-part process described above, it takes time. And though there are plenty of time-efficient PSD to HTML developers out there who are eager to propose and meet fast turnaround times, it’s clearly impossible to compete with an automated process. Because of this, companies that are rushing to launch a new site make up a significant part of most PSD to HTML software services’ client base.
Process Simplification
The designer/developer collaboration needed for manual PSD to HTML conversion is something of a controversial topic in the world of website development. Some people consider it to be a point of creative conflict that they don’t want in the production of their site. Others (ourselves at ReliablePSD included) disagree, on the grounds that collaboration can be a catalyst for innovation and excellence.
The Cons of PSD to HTML Software
Here are a few of the biggest problems with PSD to HTML automation:
Loss of Complex Details
As smart as modern software has become, it is still a long way from possessing the capability to understand the emotional, cultural, and aesthetic factors that influence the way that human beings perceive and design websites. In simpler terms, even the best PSD to HTML solutions can’t begin to understand your designs as well as a human could – and this is reflected in the development work that such software creates.
Lack of SEO Support
Adding alt text to images, utilizing no-index tags on robots.txt files, and addressing duplicate content issues are just a few examples of how coding can have a tangible effect on your site’s search engine optimization. Unfortunately, because PSD to HTML software simply replicates your original design, it cannot perform these types of optimizations.
Illogical Image Formats
Utilizing slow-loading image formats and converting text sections to image files are two of the most common examples of how PSD to HTML software falls short of manual conversions when it comes to managing images.
Sloppy, Inflexible Coding
Automated PSD to HTML conversion also tends to create coding that is difficult to improve or build upon. And, as an added effect of this inflexibility, automated solutions do not perform well across multiple platforms – making responsiveness issues exceedingly common.
Looking to Invest in Quality PSD to HTML Conversion?
If you believe that your online visitors deserve better, then you owe it to your company to invest in the best PSD to HTML solution available: the work of a talented, professional web developer. Reliable PSD can help: contact us today to receive a free quote.
